History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Awsome service
AMAZING
long hard road
Please enter a title for your review
A very insightful & interesting read...

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell
Marilyn Manson , and Neil Strauss
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060987464

Amazon.com

One doesn't usually think of rock stars as insightful, but, against all odds, glam-trash superstar Marilyn Manson has written a book that is actually an intelligent look at growing up. This autobiographical bildungsroman brings out the creepiest aspects of childhood, conveying the terror and fascination that young Marilyn (then called Brian) felt when looking through his grandfather's pornography, getting his first French kiss, and being taunted by the girls he wanted to "date." Manson has the benefit of having grown up as an outcast and loser and then having become a star without forgetting what he went through. This gives him an incredibly broad perspective, which he brings to bear on his ordinary life in order to convey the more potent and frightening moments that shaped him into the pale-skinned weirdo that the Christian Right loves to hate. Best of all, Manson is shockingly honest, and portrays himself as occasionally stupid, self-centered, over-sensitive, ignoble, and, mostly, highly fallible and human. It's a long way from the auto-hagiographies that other stars have written, and it's easily one of the best reads in celebrity bio. --James DiGiovanna

Book Description

The best–selling autobiography of America's most controversial celebrity icon, Marilyn Manson (with a bonus chapter not in the hardcover).

In his twenty–nine years, rock idol Manson has experienced more than most people have (or would want to) in a lifetime. Now, in his shocking and candid memoir, he takes readers from backstage to gaol cells, from recording studios to emergency rooms, from the pit of despair to the top of the charts, and recounts his metamorphosis from a frightened Christian schoolboy into the most feared and revered music superstar in the country. Illustrated with dozens of exclusive photographs and featuring a behind–the–scenes account of his headline–grabbing Dead to the World tour.

Customer Reviews:

Awsome service.......2007-08-23

I got my book in about 2 days in perfect condition, I couldn't have asked for more

AMAZING.......2007-08-14

this book is one of the best, most interesting books ive read in a while. i may be biased because i have been listening to manson since i was in 3rd or 4th grade when PORTRAIT came out, but regardless, it is VERY well written, he is extremely smart which alot of people dont realize, and if you have a sense of humor like i do, you will find parts of this book to be absolutely hysterical (such as his first experience with certain drugs etc.) ...if you like manson or his music i HIGHLY suggest you read this book, if your anti-manson, or new to him, then you may not enjoy it as much, but it will definitely give you another perspective of his life other than how he portrays himself on stage... it seems we all have a little more in common with mr. manson than we may like to believe

long hard road .......2007-08-12

this is a veary nice book about mr manson a short little summary of his life and how he got started a bunch of early drawing by him photos and this in that its another look then how we see him on stage

Please enter a title for your review.......2007-08-10

"The less people understand you the more intelligent they think you are" muses Marilyn. In a catch 22 kind of way the understanding of Brian Warner I've gained from this book supports his claim.
I at least think he's less compassionate than I previously did, if not less intelligent. He talks seriously about planning to murder an unstable girl who was harassing him after he led her on then dumped her and kicked her out of the band, plans he was only scared off completing because a homeless man started following him and his accomplice while they were on their way to do the deed and after failing to lose him a cop car happened to pass by.
Learning about some of the experiences that inspired his lyrics and performance I can look at them and say yeah that's a good way of expressing that, but previously it was hard to see much meaning in anything he wrote or did. Yet he claims that conservatives were trying to silence him because of what he was saying. Dude, people liked you or disliked you based on image, no one knew you were saying anything.
His comraderie with Anton Lavey, who is portrayed (presumably unintentionally) as a fortune-telling conman, illuminates Manson's worst trait, his willingness to see only the worst in his conservative christian detractors, seeking to villify rather than enlighten them, denying their humanity in the same way they do his.
He also subscribes to a "contempt for the weak" ideology typically expressed by white supremecists, involving disgust for sluts and drug addicts, and advocates the death penalty for shoplifters "because if you're stupid enough to get caught you deserve to die."
His jaded attitude to "sex, drugs and rock n roll" culture inspires some repellant descriptions that could probably do a better job of turning kids off it than any parental warnings or PSAs.
The commitment he maintained to his artistic vision in the face of difficulty in getting his short stories and poetry published, finding people committed to his musical endeavors, and in-band politics is inspiring.
At it's core the book is about how he felt and as an overview of his most emotionally significant moments I don't think he's holding anything back.

A very insightful & interesting read..........2007-07-03

I've always been fascinated with reading "Rock Star" biographies. For the most part, they've mainly been written by other people - which in some ways puts a damper on thing, as I would like to "get inside" the artist's head, and possibly look at how they "tick". Unlike, the last biography I've read - which was Ozzy Osbourne's - I found Marilyn Manson's to be quite engrossing to say the least. Personally I think that the majority of people are afraid of things which look different to them, because they are scared of uncovering the facts which will bring it into focus, and therefore make it seem normal. Mr Manson is no different. He starts out as a regular kid - and bing curious and inquisitive as children are, sets out to uncover the secrets lying in his grandfather's basement. What he discovers down there - changes his view on society's norms, and paves the way for what he will become today. I've never felt "freaked out" by Manson, nor can I say I'm his biggest fan. But I do have respect for the guy, and I think that before people start shooting their mouths of on a topic they probably don't know ANYthing about - they should at least have the decencey to sit down and read this book. Who knows. Maybe they'll start to educate their close-minded friends on a man who isn't that different after all.

PS: I didn't realize till after reading it that it was written in the late 90's. It would have been good to see Manson describe & reflect on his relationships with Rose McGowan, Dita von Teese & lately Evan Rachel Wood. As I'm interested to know about how him & Rachel came about, other than reading about it in Rolling Stone.

Fargo Rock City : A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota

Average customer rating:

Decent, But Glam Rock is Not Metal
chuck klosterman wouldnt know heavy metal if it hit him upside the head
What Would He Write Now?
mr klosterman's narrow mind and bad taste do not warrant book length treatment
You Can't Kill Rock'N'Roll......It's Here To Stay!

Fargo Rock City : A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota
Chuck Klosterman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743406567

Book Description

Empirically proving that -- no matter where you are -- kids wanna rock, this is Chuck Klosterman's hilrious memoir of growing up as a shameless metalhead in Wyndmere, North Dakotoa (population: 498). With a voice like Ace Frehley's guitar, Klosterman hacks his way through hair-band history, beginning with that fateful day in 1983 when his older brother brought home Mötley Crüe's Shout at the Devil. The fifth-grade Chuck wasn't quite ready to rock -- his hair was too short and his farm was too quiet -- but he still found a way to bang his nappy little head. Before the journey was over, he would slow-dance to Poison, sleep innocently beneath satanic pentagrams, lust for Lita Ford, and get ridiculously intellectual about Guns N' Roses. C'mon and feel his noize.

Customer Reviews:

Decent, But Glam Rock is Not Metal.......2007-09-18

This book is deceiving. It is NOT about metal, it is about glam rock, or hair metal (Motley Crue, Poison, Def Leppard etc.), which is NOT really metal. It is POP rock.

Having said that, this book is still mildly entertaining. It is a pretty well told story of growing up in a really small town and listening to ROCK, and some metal, and not really fitting in. There are numerous humorous scenarios and it is an easy read.

However, at times Klosterman can get VERY pedantic, especially when discussing his tastes in music. If he doesn't like a band, song, whatever, it automatically sucks, and is open for his harsh criticism. As a HUGE fan of Iron Maiden, it was very hard to sit and read him rip apart one of my favorite bands.

Read for yourself, some will love, some will hate.

chuck klosterman wouldnt know heavy metal if it hit him upside the head.......2007-08-14

this is the most worthless book i have ever read in my life. anyone who gets duped into buying this toilet paper should just give me their money and i will kick them in the nuts. its about the same effect as reading this trash.
chuck klosterman isnt from fargo. chuck klosterman is the reason why metallica skipped fargo on one of their tours. chuck klosterman doesnt represent the metal scene in the fargo area.

What Would He Write Now?.......2007-07-18

I grew up in an Illinois town that sounds a lot like Chuck's -- just a bit bigger, perhaps... And, like Chuck, I had a problem in the 90s admitting I listened to (and loved) heavy metal. In 1997, I went so far as to give away all of my "hair metal" albums to a co-worker. Did I still like the music? Sure, but I thought I would "move on."

Guess what? It didn't take me long to buy all the stuff back. I couldn't deny what I loved.

Chuck's book's main problem is that he still "sits on the fence." By the end of the book, he more or less admits that he likes the music of his formative years, but he still seems to have a problem being true to what he likes. Maybe this is his attempt at humor -- I don't know, as this is the first time I've ever read his stuff. All I know is, if he wants to write a book about heavy metal and what it meant to him, then he shouldn't describe it as "boring," as he does in a few places, and he shouldn't say one thing one place and the complete opposite in another place... that is, without letting it be clear how he truly feels now.

The book came out about six years ago, though, and if he went through the phase of "I can't listen to this crap any more" like I did, then maybe he's finally accepted that the music will belong to him for the rest of his days, and that it's okay to listen to the music of your high school years.

mr klosterman's narrow mind and bad taste do not warrant book length treatment.......2007-03-26

mr klosterman wonders why so much is made of the chapter titled "i get drunk and go to a hockey game:" an essay describing his penchant for alcohol abuse. well, sir; here's the deal: it's the only really fine piece of writing here. otherwise, the glories of having bad taste in music just do not carry a book. and then there's mr klosterman's narrow little mind. a very small place it seems, where ole' chucky loves to dictate how other people (especially people older and more talented than him) should carry on with their lives. this book simply adds up to one big drag. i don't know mr klosterman, never even seen him; but i predict divorce/failed relationships galore for the man. a narrow mind and poor thinking cannot equal success in that department of life. his book was overwhelmingly a waste of my time.

You Can't Kill Rock'N'Roll......It's Here To Stay!.......2007-01-10

I absolutely love this book. As a child of the 80's and particularly 80's metal this book was a real trip down memory lane. His personal stories are wonderfully written and his analysis of the genre is pretty much right on. The only problem I have with the book is that he tries too hard to defend 80's metal. I feel no need to do so because I simply don't care if other people liked it or not. I did and so did a lot of my friends. In fact I still love to crank the "80's metal" playlist on my iPod.

To me the 80's is the by far the greatest musical decade precisely because most of the music had no deep meaning. It was about having fun and enjoying life(although not by the same moral code I followed). The 90's came along and all of a sudden everyone is depressed and they're trying to tell me why I should be also. Sorry, there are too many reasons NOT to be depressed, especially in this country.

This book is funny, witty and a fantastic read, even if you're not a fan of 80's metal. I look forward to checking out some of his other titles.

Average customer rating:

American Hardcore Is A Good Book
Very enjoyable book
A vivid peek back into the scene
a pretty good source of information
Coffee table piece...

American Hardcore: A Tribal History
Steven Blush
Manufacturer: Feral House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0922915717

Book Description

Hardcore punk was an underground tribal movement created with anger and passion but ultimately destroyed by infighting and dissonance. This oral history includes photographs, discographies, and a complete national perspective on the genre.

Customer Reviews:

American Hardcore Is A Good Book.......2007-05-16

American Hardcore chronicals and/or documents the history of the early 80's Hardcore(Punk)scene. Started by angry,fustrated,violent kids in the suburban seaside coastal middle class towns of Los Angeles, this movement spread from city to city and coast to coast. With each location holding thier own individuality, from L.A. to New York, to Chicago to San Francisco, to D.C. to Boston, Hardcore was more than music it was a social movement. Hardcore was a brand new fresh form of punk rock that was all it's own. While it branched off of the 70's Punk scene, it was it's own genre, who's participants constituted a tribe onto themselves. These kids were angry fustrated violent and fed up Regan-Era misfit kids. Becoming intertwined with Surfing and Skateboarding and becoming very close with it(As most of the bands were surfers and skateboarders), Hardcore redifined the status quoe of what was possibele when you did things your own way and you did it yourself(D.I.Y.). Hardcore's music was fast,with songs usually clocking in at around 2 minutes or less,energetic, and contained lyrics dealing with everything form political and social unjustice, to projecting anti-racist anti-war anti-conservative anti-reagan(Ronald Reagan) content and/or rants, with the lead singer usually screaming his or her head off in an angry manner that scared the crap off of (many) new wave fans,Hardcore was one of the most important musical movements in american history.While the mainstream refused then and refused now to give Hardcore the credit that it deserves(Although Hardcore was not looking at all for mainstream acceptance, in fact it was also a rebellion against the mainstream)Hardcore influenced countless things in the mainstream. From the pop-punk movement, to the crappy emo scene currently riding the charts rite now. Hardcore was a new form of radicalism,music,social outrage,political and socail commentary,and altogether one of the most important (musical)movements to ever take place in American History, and this book tells that story.

Very enjoyable book.......2007-02-14

For someone as young as me, who wasn't alive during the hardcore scene, this book comes in handy with good information. Steven Blush and others explain the hardcore scene in their own perspective. The entire book is made of interviews from people that were participants in the hardcore scene in the 80's. It includes people like Henry Rollins, Ian Mackaye, Jello Biafra, etc. In the beginning of the book the author and others sum up the roots of hardcore. Later on when they get started on HC (hardcore) they talk about things like straight-edge, Washington D.C., and others, where it gets really interesting to read. You don't have to know anything about HC to read this either.
You can tell Steven Blush didn't want to be biased about the subjects so he tries to put everybody's opinion about everything which basically evens it out by being factual rather than biased. The many pictures including the cover I think are very necessary for the book and display the proper attitude and energy of the HC scene. This book was very easy to understand and even fun to read. I do not recommend this book for very young readers; there are images that can be inappropriate for some. For other mature readers I definitely recommend this book to you, and please...don't judge this book by its bloody cover, it's a great book.

A vivid peek back into the scene.......2007-01-12

As one who was there in the L.A. scene, this was a fun, insightful look back in time. It was also interesting to hear points of view from many of the key people. As it has been a while, it helped solidify the memories and the evolution of how the scene came and went. I loved it. I enjoyed the photos, but would have loved to see more. It's like looking at an old yearbook or family album of sorts.

a pretty good source of information.......2006-08-06

a pretty complete overview of the HC scene, with a lot of good ideas provided for bands to explore that I had either never heard of or really didn't know too much about.

My only complaint is that the Slickee Boys were not a bad joke and that Tru Fax wasn't stupid.

Coffee table piece..........2006-07-16

I read this book from an "alternative" library here in town and I eventually bought it for myself.

I'm not going to bash the book because it doesn't mention "every band" or even many of the bands that I actually liked. It's written by one person... so it's obviously going to reflect the experiences and opinions of that one person. It's not meant to be an encylopedia as far as I know... and in the back of the book he even admits to having ignored any and all information about the things he's talking about that he could have found on the internet. It's his book............. whatever. haha

I think the film will be a lot better than the book because of the interviews with people, hearing things in their own voice but it's not a bad book at all.

It's def. one of those books that you have around and can look through from time to time because of the TONS of pictures and things of that nature. A great book for the coffee table, or bathroom... but no knock against the book.

I enjoyed this book but you have to understand, it's not a set of encylopedias, so don't feel dissed that your city isn't mentioned or your favorites bands aren't mentioned. Some people tend to hate on "American Hardcore" because they feel the author left a lot out.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath: The Battle for Black Sabbath

Average customer rating:

I'm simply astonished
Not a literary masterpiece... but we are dealing with Sabbath here.
as comprehensive as it gets
Very Informative / Very Poorly Edited
Nothing New Here I'm affraid!

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath: The Battle for Black Sabbath
Garry Sharpe-Young
Manufacturer: Zonda Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0958268428

Book Description

For over a full decade Black Sabbath had dominated Heavy Metal. As much as Led Zeppelin scorned the term Black Sabbath embraced it. In an age of bona fide supergroups Sabbath were unquestionably the heaviest thing stalking the planet and quite remarkably had remained a solid unit where others around them suffered ongoing membership fall outs and line-up reincarnations. Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward had weathered internal storms just as ferocious as every other band out on the circuit but had remained resolute. They had conquered the globe, sold close to 50 million albums and without concession had not pulled back one iota from delivering absolute, pure Heavy Metal. In 1977 the unthinkable happened. Ozzy Osbourne decamped. He would be lured back for one last album 'Never Say Die' before flying solo, rapidly building a band unit that would equal the repute of the mother-ship. Between 1979 and 1997 Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne were pitched against each other in a titanic struggle unprecedented in Rock n' Roll. Both stars would employ the very finest players of the genre in the conflict and produce some of the finest Heavy Metal of the generation in the process. Tony Iommi, the man who without question invented Heavy Metal, fronted up Sabbath with vocal legends such as Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes and Tony Martin against Ozzy's awesome arsenal of guitar innovators Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde. Both Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne reinvented their bands time and time again. The huge array of elite players that travelled through the ranks is now a constant source of fascination and rumours for Sabbath fanatics. 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath: The Battle for Black Sabbath' reforges the author's two previous landmark tomes 'Ozzy Osbourne: The Story of the Ozzy Osbourne band' & 'Black Sabbath: Never Say Die!' along with additional material into this one definitive Metal milestone. Complete with over 140 images, many never seen before, and unique interviews, including with the late Ray Gillen and Cozy Powell as well as the highly controversial figure of Jeff Fenholt and mysterious Dave Donato, 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' is the definitive account of those years (1979 to 1997) before the reunion. Exclusive interview content with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Cozy Powell, Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen, Tony Martin, Geoff Nicholls, Rob Halford, Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, Carmine Appice, Tommy Aldridge, Neil Murray, Dave Spitz, Eric Singer, David Donato, Jeff Fenholt, Bobby Rondinelli, Rudy Sarzo, Phil Soussan, Randy Castillo, Bernie Torme, Brad Gillis, Jo Burt, Pete Way, Dana Strum, Terry Chimes, Lita Ford, Steve Vai, Don Airey, Lindsey Bridgewater, Terry Nails and many, many more. Additional details: 8 page discography appendix detailing 264 career albums and singles from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Bill Ward, Geezer and Tony Iommi; plus 7 page index with 694 entries. Product Dimensions: 8.25 x 11.0 inches (210 x 279 mm). Weight: approximately 1.6 lbs (0.75 kg).

Customer Reviews:

I'm simply astonished.......2007-09-17

I'm simply astonished by the sheer amount pf information contained in this book. Dont'get it wrong: this is a HUGE book, with A4 paper format, more than three hundred pages with two columns in each one. But, if you're into Black Sabbath and Ozzy, you will read it really fast.

The books gives detailed information about almost everything. It has good taste without relaying in useless gossip. This was one of most gratifying readings I've had in years. Highly recommended!

Not a literary masterpiece... but we are dealing with Sabbath here........2007-05-27

If you're looking for a comprehensive account of the comings and goings of singers and drummers during the 80's and 90's, this book is very interesting. It's extremely detailed. Much of the information seems to come from Geoff Nichols, the unheralded keyboardist (unheralded to the point where he was off the stage half the time) who was with Sabbath for more years than anyone but Tony and Geezer.

As a piece of writing, this is not the best. It tends to read like a very long high school term paper. There is little concept of flow and readability. Every incident is given equal weight no matter how important or how insignificant. It seems like the author literally took every bit of information at his disposal and put it here, leaving some situations underappreciated and some boringly overdeveloped.

As stated before, the editing and production are also pretty abysmal. I'm not trying to be overcritical here but, let's face it, this is something they want us to pay for. If this information was something I came across on a free website I would be a little more forgiving.

That being said, if you're going to buy this book you are, more likely than not, a big fan. You'll find something here to justify the purchase. Just don't expect to sit next to the fire with this one sipping chardonnay and eating bon bons to achieve literary orgasm. It's not gonna happen.

as comprehensive as it gets.......2007-02-07

Everything you wanted to know about the history of Black Sabbath..and then some.The only criticism i have is that maybe it details just a little too deeply,but a good read and i learnt some things i didn't know before.

Very Informative / Very Poorly Edited.......2007-01-16

An excellent read for the most devoted of Sabbath fans. However, this is by far the worst editing I've ever seen of any publication in my entire life! Blatant mispellings & poor grammar abound.

Nothing New Here I'm affraid! .......2006-12-24

There is nothing new here in this book that has not already been said! Why does the author find that he needs to rehash what he has already written in two previous excellent publications, and submit it as a new title?
Dissapointed reader..

Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground

Average customer rating:

Murder! Mayhem! Suicide! Neo-Nazis!! They're all here...and more!!!
Inaccurate
Better than your average.
Sad..
pure and simple "lords of chaos"

Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground
Michael Moynihan , and Didrik Soderlind
Manufacturer: Feral House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0922915946

Book Description

"* * * * * *! The most incredible story in the history of music â€¦ a heavyweight book."-Kerrang!

"An unusual combination of true crime journalism, rock and roll reporting and underground obsessiveness, Lords of Chaos turns into one of the more fascinating reads in a long time."-Denver Post

A narrative feature film based on this award-winning book has just gone into production.

Customer Reviews:

Murder! Mayhem! Suicide! Neo-Nazis!! They're all here...and more!!!.......2007-06-19

In the mid-1990's Norway was scandalized by a series of church arsons. The true nature of the crimes became a media sensation when it was revealed that a number of native Black Metal musicians were tied to the crime spree. Murders soon followed arson as the crimes became even more bizarre and shocking.

Lords of Chaos is an in-depth look at the scene that spawned these incidents. Moynihan and Soderlind's book is probably one of the oddest true crime stories that I have ever read. It's clearly an ambitious work, and it often suffers from trying to cover too much ground at once. It's a Black Metal history that turns into a true crime novel and finally morphs into a sociological treatise on Satanism and nationalism.

It profiles a number of the prime movers in the Norwegian Black Metal scene, and has an amazing number of interesting photographs and illustrations that provide tremendous depth of detail into the subjects at hand. Moving quickly from a short history of the development of Black Metal, the authors begin to delve into the tragic events surrounding the band Mayhem. Mayhem's leader Oystein Aarseth (stage name Euronymous) and his cohorts set out to form the most sinister band imaginable, setting a cartoonish Satanic image up against a furious wall of metallic sound. Mayhem would provide the blueprint for a generation of followers, not only in sound but in background philosophy. Mayhem intended to live out their Satanic image to the hilt, proving to all that they were no mere posers. This desire for authenticity would eventually lead to a crime wave that still reverberates today, as grave desecrations and church arsons eventually led to murders and a rise of nationalistic imagery not seen since the heyday of the Nazis.

The authors have great source material and were lucky enough to get firsthand interviews with a number of the primary subjects in the book. The writing moves along at a good pace, as the reader is taken on a whirlwind tour of the Black Metal scene.

My main gripe with the book was the substandard level of editing. There were numerous misspellings and printing errors throughout the book. Also, as I stated earlier, I thought that the authors really lost track of where they were going with the book. It's a crime book with a lot of music history and cultural observation......or maybe it's a music history intertwined with a true crime novel.....or perhaps it's a sociological deconstruction based on a true crime story with Black Metal for it's background source. I don't know......it's confusing, but it somehow all works out in the end.

Truth is certainly stranger than fiction. There is no way that a writer could make up this cast of characters or the storyline that accompanies them. It's a truly amazing ride into a netherworld of Satanism and extreme music, where violence and aggression are rewarded and civilized society is reviled.

Highly recommended.

Inaccurate.......2007-05-31

I have numerous black and death metal albums and am a huge fan of extreme metal but trust me this book has a skeleton of truth and a lot of inaccuracies.
I talked to Hellhammer when he toured with Dimmu last month and he told me the book misquoted him. What he originally said was some Norwegians are racist, and then the book published him as saying he himself was. That couldn't be farther from the truth. He is a very tolerant person.
Also if you look in google for Varg Vikernes's webpage he lists all the inaccuracies of the book down to pages and paragraphs.
This is a propaganda book, much like when Hollywood turns your favorite book into a movie and then they turn the story into what they want it to be.

Better than your average........2007-02-26

Excellent. I have read and re-read this book several times. The subject matter interviewed and covered are typically disgusting pigs, with what I believe to be an undue amount of attention given to Varg Vikernes. Focuses somewhat more on the sensational, true crime elements of the music, and the incredibly asinine/boring political views of the nationalistic elements of the scene as opposed to covering landmark releases, turning points in the music becoming more mainstream, etc. I would have preferred a little more discussion of the music as opposed to a whole chapter about Vikernes' obviously deluded belief that Aryans were created by extraterrestrial robots. Monyhan and Sonderlind repeatedly point out that (for better or worse) Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir are the biggest black metal bands in the world, but have only two brief interviews with Dani Filth, and a short interview with the label heads at Nuclear Blast talking about how many Dimmu records have been sold. It definetly seems like the NATIONALISTIC PAGAN CHURCH BURNING GRAVE DEFILING CHRIST-HATING MURDERERS have the spotlight over the music and musicians. That being said, the book is still a fascinating and engrossing read, written by a team who have a good deal of respect and appreciation for the music.

Sad.........2006-12-30

Few People enjoy the Melancholy venting Catharsis Of meTal Black..And Yet we are to Fend off from within the lunaCy. And then their are those who pretend to be bad aNd Yet they secretly sign other cultures bands to their labels (Mayhem's Euronymous'S deal in the works with Japanese Death Metal baNd SiNgh..) mOyniHan hismSelf is rumored to be the devil..

pure and simple "lords of chaos".......2006-08-06

This book has a lot of views. form fans, from the musicians, from people who dealt with the subject of satanism for a long time. the most enjoyable part of this book is the stories of how far fans and others took the whole black metal scene to its extremes. they really believe in what they do and did. also, this book has pretty interesting points of view. this book will make you think about organized religion and controlled society by governments and its laws. this book is only for people with open minds to every aspect of life, religions, music and even to the believes of flying saucers. seems funny but its true.

Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal

Average customer rating:

The Holy Bible for Metal Diehards and Music Fans alike!
After all, 'art' is so subjective
Global perspective, highly satisfying result
Finally! Let's hear it for King Diamond.
Great History of Metal

Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal
Ian Christe
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380811278
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Book Description

The definitive history of the first 30 years of heavy metal, containing over 100 interviews with members of Black Sabbath, Metallica, Judas Priest, Twisted Sister, Slipknot, Kiss, Megadeth, Public Enemy, Napalm Death, and more.

More than 30 years after Black Sabbath released the first complete heavy metal album, its founder, Ozzy Osbourne, is the star of The Osbournes, TV's favourite new reality show. Contrary to popular belief, headbangers and the music they love are more alive than ever. Yet there has never been a comprehensive book on the history of heavy metal – until now. Featuring interviews with members of the biggest bands in the genre, Sound of the Beast gives an overview of the past 30–plus years of heavy metal, delving into the personalities of those who created it. Everything is here, from the bootlegging beginnings of fans like Lars Ulrich (future founder of Metallica) to the sold–out stadiums and personal excesses of the biggest groups. From heavy metal's roots in the work of breakthrough groups such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin to MTV hair metal, courtroom controversies, black metal murderers and Ozzfest, Sound of the Beast offers the final word on this elusive, extreme, and far–reaching form of music.

Customer Reviews:

The Holy Bible for Metal Diehards and Music Fans alike!.......2007-03-31

This is a must read for anyone interested in rock music. It dives deep into the world of heavy metal by interweaving the most obscure with the most transparent. Sound of the Beast connects metal to other underground genres like hardcore punk, thrash and rap, as it thoroughly narrates the history of heavy metal.

For anyone interested in learning about how Celtic Frost connects to Black Flag or the history of black metal versus thrash, it is a must read. For anyone interested in how the Internet has shifted the face of the music industry, it is also a must have.

This book as something for everyone -- part time rock music fans or committed tape traders from the days of yore will both find this book enjoyable.

After all, 'art' is so subjective.......2006-12-19

This is about as concise a 'history' of Metal as you are likely to find anywhere. All the favorite bands are here. All the different periods are covered. And yet it's still compact and concise enough to not be boring. Can you imagine long-haired headbangers slogging through a HISTORY book the size of 'War and Peace' without falling asleeep ? This book comes close, but redeems itself through some interesting features, such as interviews with key Metal men and interesting lists and boxes of Metal facts. Some of Dee Snider's insights are priceless.

This book has several weaknesses:
- Ian Christe seems to be in love with himself and his own writing. He over-indulges in flowery prose, seemingly using grand words just for the sake of seeming clever. Come on. Sometimes this seems like an English Literature essay, when it really should be just a passionate account from one Metal-head to another.
- Ian Christe also fails to hide his own biases and prejudices in musical tastes. It's so obvious that he is a fan of Black Sabbath, Metallica and Black Metal bands. The bulk of this book revolves around these. Everyone else in the Metal scene appear only incidentally, as background providing context only for the rise of these idols. Ian Christe's history of Metal is mostly the history of the rise of Metallica. That's fine if you worship Iommi, Hetfield and Euronymus. If you like Van Halen, Maiden, Anthrax and others, expect to feel like second class citizens. If you have the misfortune to like Stryper, Slayer or even grunge, then spare yourself the humiliation and stay away from this book.
- The photos are very 'run of the mill'. No pleasant surprises. And again, there are more photos of Metallica than anyone else.
- The descriptions of the music are all given in glamorous hyperbole. Christe's aim seems to be delivery of verbose ravings about his own favorites and semi-witty snipes at Metal bands he dislikes (especially Glam Metal and grunge). If you are a musician yourself, you'll miss some sort description of the technical innovations each Metal era brought. If you are a serious fan, you'll miss a more critical appraisal of the songs and riffs.

And yet, despite these gripes, overall I liked the book. It's still quite readable. Even if you didn't know most of the bands mentioned before, this book will still interest you enough to want to go listen to some of their music. Personally, I like Metallica and didn't mind the obvious bias by the author at all. But even if you do find the bias irritating, just remind yourself: music is an art. And after all, appreciation of 'art' is inherently subjective.

Global perspective, highly satisfying result.......2006-11-24

A great, entertaining book on Heavy Metal's crazy little trends and its big, glorious history. Really well done, from a very personal perspective. To the critics who call the author a Metallica Fan: They once were one of the most mass influencing metal bands ever! And Christe, in contrast to some ridiculous british books, is not concentrating on his home country - even the german scene that I know pretty good is covered almost completely - this book is a bible!

Finally! Let's hear it for King Diamond........2006-11-03

I thought this book was good because it gave some well deserved attention to alot of the lesser known bands of heavy metal, such as Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost and Immortal. Though the author gives too much attention to Metallica, I still feel it is a book worth reading.

Great History of Metal.......2006-09-19

I really enjoyed this book. Christie provides a very concise and comprehensive overview of heavy metal, covering all time periods and sub-genre's of HM music.

The Book of Metal: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created

Average customer rating:

Totally rediculous junk !
Dont be mislead
Complete GARBAGE, full of insults, lies, errors, and non-METAL bands!
Krahp
filler

The Book of Metal: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created
Chris Ingham
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156025419X

Book Description

This authoritative, finely researched volume is the definitive encyclopedia of metal music. It draws on acts relevant throughout the genre’s history from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin through to current innovators such as Papa Roach, Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson, and Limp Bizkit. Bands from the genres of goth, death metal, thrash metal, glam and punk, such as the Sex Pistols, Nirvana, and Rancid, are also included. The bands are listed from each of the major subgenres as well as side genres. Nu-metal, hardcore, grindcore, industrial, and power metal all have their own sections in the book, complete with “genre traits” section and the names of bands that typify that sound. Illustrated throughout with the best color photography from the last 30 years of metal music and featuring 200 photos from the Metal Hammer archive, this is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of metal music ever created and the ultimate reference for fans of all metal music, worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Totally rediculous junk !.......2007-08-09

I saw this book on sale, appropriately it wasn't even inside the store that sold it (it was in a stand outside), at an increadibly give away price of 2 Euros. Normally, that would have meant that I should have bought this thing blind. Knowning that anything in terms of Metal literature is always welcomed in my generally huge book collection. But, I took a look inside of this book, and was dismayed at what I was staring at.

This self-professed author claims to have written "The Most Comrehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created", already that title is so ludicrous that it isen't even funny anymore. Anyone who knows anything about Metal, will tell you that there must be literally thousands and thousands of Metal bands all over the world. To believe that any human being could possibly put them into one single book (or any number of books for that matter) is either totally ignorant, or just plain dumb.
Next, as others have mentioned, the bands portrayed here as being Metal bands are hardly that. If my memory service me right, then about 90% or more, where (Hard)Rock, or wanna be Metal bands, with a heavysided NU-Metal amount, most Metal fans wouldn't consider Nu-Metal to be real Metal in the first place.
Another laughable, as well as, down right deploring matter was how many times the author actually managed to contrive up information that is so plainly wrong that any 14 year old Metal fan will immediately spot it, upon first sight ! For example that Dio's Band ELF founded Rainbow. It was basically the other way around, since Ex-Deep Purple gituar legend Ritchie Blackmore asked Dio to join his new solo project Rainbow, that he founded after leaving Deep Purple. There are numerous other mistakes of this sort, that one has to ask whether the author was drunk, when he wrote this masterpiece!
Apart from being riddled with mistakes which shows the embarrasing lack of knowledge the author had, one really has to wonder how that person ever managed to sneak this one by the publisher! But presumably the publisher knew even less about the subject than the author, and the same must have been true of any editor(s), if there ever was one.

To make a long story short: Avoid this one at any cost (even at about 2 Euros = 2 Bucks) or else you'll be sorry, since this thing isen't even worth the paper that its written on !!!

Dont be mislead.......2007-08-04

Title: "The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created."

Pages: 256.

Enough said.

Complete GARBAGE, full of insults, lies, errors, and non-METAL bands!.......2007-07-10

Unlike other frustrated reviewers such as myself, I find no need into "thorough explanations" of why this book is filled with nonsense from beginning to end. I threw this out within two hours of it arriving in my mailbox. Literally speaking, today's 12-year-old girl with almost no knowledge of hard rock could have probably put together a similair list to what this book tries (and fails) to force down people's throats. Fortunately, most heavy rock fans hold such a strong passion for what they love that this won't even matter.

1. First and foremost. Once I see bands like Blink 182 (perhaps the biggest laugh of this entire book), Hole, Everclear, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and so on (bands that are in no way METAL) in a book entitled "the most complete enclyclopedia of METAL music ever created", I know this was going to be not only an insult, but a bewilderment of how whoever wrote this book was paid for this piece of work? The Beatles, Stones, and Badfinger had a lot of heavier rock tunes themselves, I would have rather seen those guys get a mention over Hole or Everclear?

Tons of errors and inaccuracies in the very few interesting bits I did read. Somebody below pointed out several of them, one more I can add is in the WASP history where it mentioned Steve Riley as being on the first WASP record. He was not, though he did tour for the first WASP record.

Many metal legends (ie. Manowar comes to mind, who have been around since '78) aren't even mentioned, or others are given VERY SMALL sidebar shows while nu-metal buffoons like Slipknot, Korn, Coal Chamber, and slews of others are given a whole page (sometimes two, with photos).

This was terrible. I do not even know how this was released. Do not waste your time reading this book. It is terrible, full of lies, and I am beginning to think this 'list' is maybe just a big joke or parody?

Krahp.......2007-06-27

I thumbed through this in a bookstore. Garbage. If you want a metal book probably the best I've seen (and own) are Sound of the Beast for generalized sutff, and Lords of Chaos for BM. Honestly, I've never come across a perfect or "comprehensive, definitive guide" that these metal encyclopedia books claim. But this one is one of the worst. As other reviewers pointed out the author seems to have no idea what metal actually is. Blink 182? Errrr right..... next.

filler.......2007-05-14

missed alot of good bands. somewhat incomplete, otherwise, ok reference book on metal bands.

Average customer rating:

Not worth it
Bang You Hair
AN '80's TIME CAPSULE
American Hair Metal
Those 80s!!! Wow!

American Hair Metal
Steven Blush
Manufacturer: Feral House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 193259518X

Book Description

"We're not ashamed of a little hairspray and makeup. We've always said it takes a real man to wear makeup."-Bret Michaels, Poison (1988)

There was a time-not so long ago-when pomp and spandex dominated MTV and pop radio playlists. American Hair Metal visually celebrates this orgy of flamboyance, androgyny, and animal magnetism, of big-haired alpha males and the beautiful women who surrounded them.

Hundreds of striking photographs are surrounded by hedonistic ephemera from bands like Poison, Cinderella, Motley Crue, Skid Row, and Stryper, and wild inter-view quotes from major players such as David Lee Roth, Jon Bon Jovi, Sebastian Bach, Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx, Bret Michaels, Don Dokken, and a good number of unsung heroes.

Interest in hair metal is currently exploding-witness the barrage of VH1 specials, arena-level revival tours, and reissue compilations that are even today best-selling CDs.

Customer Reviews:

Not worth it.......2007-08-23

I thoroughly enjoyed Steven Blush's previous book American Hardcore and had high hopes for American Hair Metal as well (being fan of both these genres). However, I was very disappointed when the book arrived in the post as it looked more like a hipster coffee table book than an actual good read. Opening the book I wasn't wrong either. This book is mainly full of page-size pictures with few quotes scattered here and there. No context, stories etc. In the introduction Blush mentions that he decided against the idea of interviewing ex-hair metalers as most of them were probably too embarrassed to speak about their past (having moved on to being family people now). This is almost like admitting defeat before he's even started! A bit of investigative writing would have been great. OK, so the photos are great but I can't see this book appealing to any serious fans of metal. One for the ironic-generation I guess. For the rest of you - just try Google Images instead.

For something similar (but much better) go for Mötley Crüe's The Dirt instead. Also check out Penelope Spheeris' brilliant film on the same subject: The Decline Of The Western Civilization Part 2.

One last thing: who the heck calls it "hair metal" anyway? We certainly didn't call it that back in the day. Is this just another lazy media term for an otherwise glamtastic genre?

Bang You Hair.......2007-06-30

If you were there, or were listening, or are still there and listening, this book will put a smile on your face; Page after page of quality, colorful pictures and highly amusing quotes by some of the biggest bands of the era; The only thing I wished was that it included more pictures, esp. since there is a huge list at the end of the book w/80's artists not pictured at all, and their one big song. This would include bands like Badlands, Helix, Shotgun Messiah, and Smashed Gladys....To think this book could have been twice the size only makes me think of things that could have been...

But this is no skimpy collection; A great book at a great price, LOTS of pics suitable for framing if you were so inclined...

And if you weren't ever into metal, there's still plenty to make fun of.

Man, did I really used to dress like that?

AN '80's TIME CAPSULE.......2007-04-08

Dying to relive, recapture, or just plain reminisce about your youth? Have I got a book for you. While reminiscent of Hollywood Rocks! (which focuses exclusively on the '80's Hollywood scene), American Hair Metal encompasses a much broader scope. It includes all of the de rigueur L.A./California bands while adding East Coast and international ones into the mix. It even throws in a couple of female rockers to boot. Don't expect any indepth bios on any of the bands. It's mainly a collection of photos and quotes. You may not have heard of all of the bands but the major players are all represented (though a little light on the Dokken, G N'R, and Great white if you ask me). So tease up, turn it up, and get ready to rock with Steven Blush's American Hair Metal.

American Hair Metal.......2007-03-11

If you are a child of the 80's like I am, you will love this book!! It brought back a lot of good memories! There were some truly awesome bands that came out of the 80's. I think you will enjoy this book!

Those 80s!!! Wow!.......2007-03-09

Wow,what great pictures,if you like the way the "Hair bands" looked you'll love this book. A few mistakes,one is on the page that has Phantom Blue,it has Precious Metal and couple more mistakes here and there,but otherwise a great book!! Miguel,Portugal!

Average customer rating:

A Top Zep Book
Well detailed, yet very prejudice...
THE Led Zeppelin book to read
this is the best historical account yet
No gossip, no occult, no sharks...

Led Zeppelin: 1968-1980
Keith Shadwick , and Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0879308710

Book Description

Led Zeppelin may have disbanded in 1980, but their legacy lives on. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham always insisted that the music they made, onstage or in the studio, was the important thing. This meticulous book turns away from Zeppelin's well-chronicled antics on the road to explore what made them the biggest rock band of their day and an enduring influence on generations of musicians. With many rare and seldom-seen photographs, this is the definitive vindication of Led Zeppelin's place at the pinnacle of 20th century musical achievement.

Customer Reviews:

A Top Zep Book.......2007-07-03

One of the best Led Zeppelin books, ever. Over 300 large pages with small print and filled with photos l'd never seen. Deals mainly with the music, its creation and presentation and, doesn't get bogged in drama or supposition. Mr. Shadwick is sometimes opinionated, but it only reveals his deep respect and knowledge of the band. The only disappointment is that the story always ends with Bonham's death. Why can't someone just lie and report that he's living a peaceful existence in the Alps or something?

Well detailed, yet very prejudice..........2007-06-27

Keith Shadwick without a doubt has compiled the most detailed account of the bands career, interviews, and quotes; yet his "musical snob elitist" attitude gets in the way of enjoying this book to its full extent. Keith finds a problem with literally every single song the band had ever recorded, even down to the tinest detail, and constantly quips how great other lesser known, or more under appriciated older musicians are when comparing every song to older ones. It is to no Zeppelin fan's suprise that the band had borrowed ideas from other artists, from pop to folk music, but at that time in the music industry it was normal to cover other bands music and it was a time when bands wrote singles and did not worry about full albums like zeppelin did. His personal opinions make you wonder at times if he is even a fan of the band or not, by trying to make the best effort to disguise his disliking of the band in favor of more "pure" musicians who put out more "inspired" music, as he puts it over and over. His information about the tours, attitudes and visions of the band, and facts are wonderful and that is what kept me reading the book, but his obvious musical snobbery (many times simply just his WELL OVERTHOUGHT opinion about things) kept this book from being what it could have been. Rock n' Roll is not about sheer perfection, or always being musically correct, thats where the passion and originality comes from, but to Keith it seems as if he finds a flaw in anything and everything that Zeppelin ever recorded from track listing, to favoring obviously lesser quality b-sides (to make him look intelligent for liking "poor tom" more than "bron-yur-a-stomp"), to saying how out of pitch Robert is, or Page's "uninspired guitar solo", to Jones "overplaying" keyboard and bass lines, to Bonham obviously taking this drum pattern from the following songs. The fact is, the band wrote what they wrote and took in all their influences. You can't name a rock band that has not taken an idea from another group and gone with it, or showing obviuous influence...that is not a fault of musicians by any means.

The book is a fine read for the information, but the author's personal opnions really ruined alot of it.

THE Led Zeppelin book to read.......2007-05-31

WOW WOW WOW. This book is THE biography of Led Zeppelin to read.

It covers everything factual you would like to know about the band. All the other reviews are good. You won't be disappointed buying this!!! Awesome!

this is the best historical account yet.......2007-04-13

This is the best historical account I have read - and I have read most of the books on Zeppelin that have been published. What makes this book different and in my opinion better, is that it is much less about the partying and much more about the process that they used to create the music. There is great historical info on the Yardbirds and good accounts of concerts.
Most if not all of the photos have been published but that is understandable since there is limited supply of photos. It's unfortunate that Zeppelin didn't seem to have a staff photographer along for the ride. Same is true for the limited video shot of the band.

If there is a downside to this book it is the editing. It is written by a british author and it shows. It was not edited/translated for American readers so you will need to read some of the passages twice to get past what seems like bad structure. British readers may not agree but it does have a few rough spots for American readers. This is no reason not to consider this book.

If you are a Zeppelin fan or are just interested in the history of the music scene at that time, then you should add this book to your collection. It is the best Zeppelin book yet. It's not "Hammer of the Gods" which is a disputed accounting of the band's history. This book is full of foot notes identifying sources - It is much more honest in describing the bands history.

No gossip, no occult, no sharks..........2006-09-18

What sets this new group biography apart from all the rest (including the wonderful Stephen Davis "Hammer of the Gods") is that the author seeks to inform only about the music. No gossip, no rumors, just music. Shadwick sheds light on both studio and live performances and encourages the listener to appreciate Led Zeppelin with new ears.

There are many volumes available about LZ, but I think with this new book by Keith Shadwick we now have the definitive biography.

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